. thanks for joining us. i'm mike hydeck in for jc hayward today. classes resumed for most of the students in newtown, connecticut for the first time since friday's massacre, except for the students at sandy hook elementary which of course was the scene of that tragedy. two more young victims are being laid to rest today.

randall pinkston reports. >> reporter: a bus carrying students drove up to the high school as a grief stricken town tried to get to some routine. police were on hand to make sure everything ran smoothly. >> i wouldn't send my children to school if i had the choice right now. i wouldn't. >> i think it's important the children do go back to school. >> reporter: all schools except sandy hook elementary are open. the scene of the massacre will remain closed for months. when those children do go back, they'll attend a school in a nearby town. people lit candles to remember the lives cut short. they paid their respects at the memorials set up for the 26 victims. the grieving process continues. the families of two more children are saying a final farewell. the family of james mattioli used to joke he was born four weeks early because he was

hungry. >> jessica rekos will also be laid to rest. tonight there will be a wake for victoria soto, a teacher who shielded her students from the gunman. she was just the best. she loved her family more than anything. >> reporter: it's one of several wakes planned for victims this evening. randall pinkston, cbs news, newtown, connecticut. >> after his emotional speech in newtown on sunday night, president obama sat down with some of his cabinet members yesterday trying to talk about what can be done to better protect americans from mass shootings like this. the possible actions he's considering include new gun control laws and the president could also try to enact some new gun rules through executive orders as well. if you are having trouble coping with the tragedy from newtown, you can call 211 for advice or even counseling. it's a free service staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week

with operators who speak more than 200 languages. 211 is available to residents in virginia, maryland and the district. other news now, the hunt continues in fort washington, maryland for thieves who broke into a home and shot a person inside it. this happened this morning along lofton road near camelot way. the men demaed some money and jewelry. police say the homeowner was shot during the back during the scuffle. his injuries are not life threatening. after weeks of deadlock, there are some signs the fiscal cliff deal may finally be getting close to getting done. danielle nottingham has more on president obama's latest counteroffer to prevent the end of year tax hikes for the middle class. >> reporter: house speaker john boehner met with fellow republicans this morning to discuss president obama's fiscal cliff proposal. the speaker also began work on a so-called plan b to prevent a tax increase in case he does not reach a deal with the white house before january 1.

>> our plan b would protect american taxpayers who make a million dollars or less. >> reporter: the president initially insisted on letting tax cuts expire for households making $250,000 or more, but the new white house counterproposal raises that threshold to $400,000, and for the first time the president is willing to accept some reduction in future cost of living benefit increases for social security recipients. in addition to his negotiations with the president, boehner has another challenge, convincing g.o.p. conservatives to accept any increases in income taxes. many republicans believe tax increases will hurt small businesses. pedro alfonso owns a company that installs voice and data networks. he's willing to pay his share of higher taxes if he gets something in return. >> there has to be a reform entitlement. there has to be at least reduction in spending in terms of federal government spending. that includes civilian agencies, defense department.

so everybody has somebody at stake. >> reporter: even though the fiscal cliff deadline is the end of the year, congress still needs time to vote on a deal to avoid taxes going up for all americans and across-the-board spending cuts. danielle nottingm, cbs news, washington. >> as you heard danielle just say, it is going to take more deal making to get the job done but more and more analysts say it looks like we will be able to avoid the fiscal cliff. john delaney will represent maryland's district six starting in january. he believe there is is still plenty of room for compromise on both sides. >> i think we clearly need more revenues and i think we're headed that way. i think if lieu at the -- if you look at the revenues of our economy right now, it's the lowest it's been in a long time. i do think we need to making spending adjustments and put entitlements on a trajectory that strengthens the program and does provide some long-term fiscal stability. >> delaney spoke to us last night on channel 9 on news at

7:00. you can learn more about the fiscal cliff which could hit in two weeks from today. just go to other website wusa9.com. click on the fiscal cliff tab right at the top of the home page. the first japanese american ever to serve in congress has died. senator danielle inouye -- daniel inouye from hawaii passed away after battling some respiratory problems. he was 88. he was first elected in 1959, the same year hawaii became a state and he's been serving ever since. inouye was the second longest serving member of congress. he was also a war hero. born in 1924, inouye was 17 when japanese planes flew over his home to bomb pearl harbor and he signed up. he lost an arm to a german grenade while he was fighting in italy. his colleagues are still amazed by his legacy. >> it can be seen in every mile of every road in hawaii, in every nature preserve, in every facility that makes hawaii a

safer place. >> senator inouye died at walter reed national military medical center. this was yesterday. he was 88. still to come when the news continue this morning, theater bus. the next segment is for you. he "les miserables" is playing at the national theater. coming up in a bit, we'll talk to one of the stars of the hit musical and hear her sing as well. you don't want to miss that. >> first, a bulletproof backpack. see what some parents are doing to make sure their child has a fighting chance should a disaster strike in the classroom.

last friday's shooting in newtown, connecticut has many parents across the country searching for more ways to keep their children safe. is a backpack shield the answer though? we take a look. >> reporter: here it is. the backpack shield is manufactured right here in austin, texas. the bullet resistant insert weighs about a pound. the crater says it works best if the child puts on the backpack, gets low and covers their hearts and head with the shield. some professionals say this product may do more harm than good. backpack shield president kerry clark. >> this is a 40 caliber full metal jacket. >> reporter: demonstrated how his invention can stop a bullet shot from 16 feet away. >> if you look at the other side, it leaves a little bulge. >> reporter: he created the

backpack shield in 2007 right after the virginia tech shooting massacre. >> i heard some teachers were saying okay, class, the strategy is we're all going to hide in the corner. that was it. i thought, that's not going to cut it for my kid. this goes in the rear compartment. it's literally like a fish hitting a net. this being stronger than steel just traps the bullet. >> reporter: but not every bullet. the armored panel is designed to stop any handgun rounds, not bullets from a rifle. >> it sounds like a good concept. >> reporter: kristin, a mother of two, says she would consider buying the backpack shield for her children but wasn't confident it would keep them any safer. >> a 2-year-old probably wouldn't follow instructions in the middle of chaos. i think it would be really hard to implement. >> i was shocked that such a thing existed. >> dr. kim has worked with children more than 20 years. she does not recommend the

backpack shield for anyone under 18 years old. she says instead of comforting children, it may cause them more anxiety. >> if you don't train them on how to use it, it's not effective. it just sits on the floor. i think for it to be effective, you have to train the kids. during the training process, i think you could -- think it could be traumatic. >> that's like wearing a seat belt in case you're in an accident creates anxiety. i feel like it like wearing a seat belt for the big wide world out there. >> the shield costs $235. the manual you saw there, clark, says he sold more than 200 of them in the last five years. the clouds are gone and the sun is back but it's still a little chilly out. howard, over to you. >> it's actually jumped into the low 60s after the chill this morning. we've got some much colder air coming in the next couple of days. enjoy what we have now. probably as warm as we're going to get in most places today. 60 in college park. 61 crofton and 57 in centreville. i'll be back with that seven- day forecast right after this.

the rain storms that have battered the pacific northwest are causing some big problems in washington state now. a lot of hillsides are soggy, some of which are giving way and in this case a mud side caused a train derailment. amtrak trains running north of seattle are canceled at least through tomorrow. yesterday the big story was fog. now that has all lifted. it's sunny out and it's relatively warm for december. >> for now. we're in the 60s. 61 degrees, about as warm as we'll get all day. the winds are going to kick up. i have some gusts to show you that are already topping 30 miles an hour in spots. a mix of clouds and sunshine. still pretty nice and breezy, too as temperatures will be dropping off into the upper 50s by 3:00. low 50s by 5:00 as cooler air works its way in. tonight we're in the 40s for the evening hours and 30s

overnight. 37 by tomorrow monk in town with -- morning in town with 32 in the suburbs. satellite and radar show the sunshine earlier. the clouds left the showers in the mountains but they're advancing just about to d.c. still southern maryland, eastern shore a decent amount of sunshine. and temperatures responding. 61 at national airport. fredricksburg 62. original in the 40s in cumberland and 32 in oakland. we need it to be cold. we need the snow guns to get going in the ski areas so we can get skiing here. look at the wind gusts up to 29 mile an hour wind gust in frederick. gusting to 26 in gaithersburg and also in baltimore. we're gusting to 22. i think that will be the case for the afternoon with some of these gusts in that 25, maybe 30 mile an hour range. outside on the michael & son weather camera, sunshine. you're starting to notice a few clouds dotting the sky at this hour with the temperature of 61. national reporting mostly cloudy. it is a decent amount of sun still with the west wind sustained at 16.

the dew point this morning was 47. now it's 41. drier air is moving in and some cooler air. slightly cooler now but much colder by friday through the weekend. notice temps up to 61 here. 60s and 70s down south. but we have lots of 20s in the rockies and the northern plains. that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg if you will. when you go up to western canada and alaska, minus 40 at macmillan pass. 42 below in northway. there are signs over the next few weeks some of that cold is going to dislodge itself and move more to the south and the east. with winter officially beginning friday morning, the cold air arrives with it. the northwest being hammered. you saw the video out of seattle. rain and mountain snows piling up by the foot in the cascades. we've got some snows, also lighter ones through the northern plains. they have winter storm watches stretched out from the rockies all the way to wisconsin for the next system coming and snow in more than maine is going to be piling up. but for us, we sit quiet. we sit fairly nice here for the

next day, day and a half. here's a look at the futurecast. partly to mostly sunny and breezy. we'll be clear tonight. tomorrow looks like a good day and then on thursday, late in the day and thursday night ahead of the next front, we've got some showers moving in. behind the front, the cold air. so today 62 and breezy. some spots north and west staying in the 50s. we'll see a drop off of these temps during the afternoon. tonight we're in the 30s. tomorrow a nice day, less wind, 54. so very, very nice day. thursday, though, the clouds increase. some late afternoon showers into thursday night, 53. and then we get chilly. we have temperatures on friday only in the low to mid-40s with the rain or snow shower and saturday and sunday blustery, highs in the low 40s. over to mike hydeck. i saw the show friday night. you're in for a treat. >> i was going to say the same thing. we have a treat for the viewers. this could be the hottest ticket when it comes to the holidays. if you're looking to get out, have a great time, have something to do, the 25th anniversary production of "les

miserables" is touring. i have to say howard has seen it. we've talked about it but i have never seen "les mis." what's the story line and what's your character? >> it's basically the story of john who is a man who steals a loaf of bread to save his family. and it takes place over 30 years, it's about love and hope. my character is kind of the -- she loves in love -- she's in love with merith who doesn't love her back. she has personally i think one of the best songs in the show. >> we're seeing video from the movie because the movie is coming out now. it's going to add to this celebration of you guys touring. it has to be a lot of fun. >> "less mis" has been around for over 20 years. 15 million people have seen the

stage show. so to have the musical film is incredible. it's just taking it to the next level. it's very exciting. >> we're very excite to you have here. >> this is adam who plays in our orchestra. he's incredible. i'm happy to have him here. >> pleasure to meet you. you're going to sing. i can't wait to hear it. ♪on my own ♪ pretending he's beside me ♪ all alone, i walk with him till morning ♪ ♪ without him i feel his arms around me ♪ and when i lose my way, i close my eyes and he

has found me ♪ in the rain, the pavement shines like silver ♪ all the lights are seeing the wither ♪ in the darkness the trees are full of star light ♪ and all i see is him and me forever and forever ♪ and i know it's only in my mind that i'm talking to myself and not to him ♪ and although i know that he is blind ♪ still i say there's a way for us ♪

i love him ♪ when the night is over, he is gone, the river just a river ♪ without him the world around me changes ♪ ♪ the trees are fair and everywhere the streets are full ♪

welcome back. rustic, simple, vibrant, some of the key words to describe the cooking of miss johnson. if you want a treat, your guests are coming and dinner is an hour away and you want to give them something to nibble on, she has the perfect idea now.

not only will you get a chance to see this in the recipe, she's a teacher. she'll teach you how to cook it. what is this made out of? >> this is a very traditional neapolitan christmas dessert. it's basically a semisweet dough that is fried and then we put it in honey and you build up either a little pyramid or wreath, whatever you want to do. it's really -- you just pick at it. it's not something you scoop on a plate. it's like having a cookie or miniature donut and it's decorated the very same. today i'll show you quickly how to put it together. >> is just flour here? >> here we have flour. i have some salt and baking soda. a little bit of sugar. it's not very much. and then we have zest of a whole orange. i know you're zest challenge so i did it ahead of time. >> that's an inside joke. the last time she asked me to zest, i was worried i was going to carve up my knuckles.

i'm zest challenged, yes. >> here we have three whole eggs and one egg yolk. so we're going to put the milk in here, a little bit of milk. the butter. and then -- oops, a little technical problem. >> don't worry. we've all been here. >> why don't you choose -- you want the zest or-- >> we'll go with the lemon. one minute left. let's go a little quicker. you whisk all that? >> whisk all this together. and if we have time, i'll -- we're making this dough. this dough. then we'll take a little piece of it and we'll roll it up and then we're -- this is the way to cut it. you cut them in little -- they're -- you kind of squeeze them a little bit as you go. >> i'll do a couple of those. why don't you get the finished product. we have less than a minute, probably 30 seconds. >> you drop these in oil.

>> drop them in the oil and continuously stir them because it will burn. >> they come out like this. >> like that. and then we put them in the honey, stir them up and this is what they look like. >> alba johnson, the recipe on our website wusa9.com. have a great day, everybody. see you back here tomorrow morning.